It Don't Matter to Me 2

"Hello, Mikey, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Brian was toying with a pencil when his private line rang.

"Hi, Bri. Ma wants to know why we haven't see much of you lately. She's issuing a summons."

"I've been busy, Michael."

"Oh yeah? With who?" Michael chuckled, he was glad the old Brian was back.

"With business, Michael. You know that thing I do that keeps me in the latest Fall and Spring collections. Business, something you should be concentrating on instead of harassing me." Brian saw Ted at the door holding the contracts for Kinnetik's latest multi-million dollar ad campaign. He waved Ted in.

"Oh, okay Bri. Um, what about the summons?"

"It's only Tuesday, Mikey," Brian snarked, made a brief pass over the contracts he had already memorized and signed at the indicated spots. Ted did a little bow then spirited away the precious papers.

"Well, she just wants to see you," Mikey pleaded with a whine.

"If she wasn't having so much fun with Carl in semi-retirement, your mother would see my pretty face practically every afternoon at the diner for lunch."

"I can't believe you still like those dry turkey sandwiches."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with turkey. Some of my best friends are turkeys. Bye, Mikey." Brian disconnected the phone as he heard Mikey say 'Bye.'

*****

"This better be good," Brian growled into the phone. He was just finishing his latest and very satisfying round of fucking when the phone rang. Brian rolled off his partner to answer the phone. He would have left it to voice mail but he was expecting a call from Gus.

"Hey, Bri!"

"What is it now, Mikey, I'm busy."

"It's Wednesday night; the guys and I haven't seen you for weeks. We want you to meet us at Woody's."

"You saw me at Babylon."

"But that was three weeks ago. Besides I need to ask you something."

"Mikey, whining is so unbecoming. What do you want to know?" Brian reached over to swipe a blond lock from his lover's beautiful face.

"I want to know if you know where Justin is."

"Justin? What about him?" Brian looked over at the man sharing his bed who merely shrugged, giving Brian a sly smile. Brian stuck his tongue out at him.

"He sent me the latest sketches for Rage but I wanted to discuss them with him."

"Don't you usually have a telephone appointment with Justin every Thursday night to go over your widdle comic?" That comment earned Brian a smack in the ribs. "Ow!" Brian feigned injury.

"What happened, Brian? You okay? Need me to come over?"

"I'm fine Michael, just stubbed my toe. No need to call out the National Guard."

Brian got up from bed and did his impression of Walter Brennan as he hobbled to the bathroom. His bedmate buried his face into a pillow as he cracked up with laughter.

"Well then, the guys and me will see you in an hour at Woody's. If not, we're coming over." Michael hung up the phone so Brian wouldn't have a chance to argue.

"Fuck, Mikey! Can't a guy spend some time alone if he wants to?" Brian snapped the phone shut and tossed it across the room and onto the bed.

"Hey!" a voice called out.

"Sorry." Brian pissed, flushed, then washed his hands.

"So, you're going to Woody's?"

"I don't think I have a choice. It's either that or they invade the loft. I'm sorry."

"Sorry is bullshit, but go. I have plenty to keep me occupied here."

"Oh really?" Brian said with a smirk.

"Yes, really. Someone didn't throw out all this old shit like I asked him. And I have to put together our new double desk."

"I wasn't sure what to throw out and you could have had the desk assembled for you."

"I know but I got used to putting together stuff when I was on my own."

"Just don't hurt yourself and not one scratch on my hardwood floor!"

"Yes, your majesty. Now go take a shower; you stink like sex."

"And you say this as if it's a bad thing." Brian snarked, "Join me?" Brian stood at the bathroom door.

"I'd love to but then I'll just get all stinky and sweaty when I put the desk together."

"Okay," Brian pouted or did a good imitation of a pout. As if Brian Kinney would ever pout. "Only if you let me lick off all your hard earned sweat when I get home." Brian waggled his eyebrows at the younger man.

"You got yourself a deal," the man answered with a kiss to Brian's lips then a smack to Brian's naked ass.

"You're mean." Brian sulked and rubbed his stinging ass as he entered the bathroom.

"Yup, and you like it." The young man giggled then quickly donned his clothes so he could get cracking on their new desk.

*****

"Think he'll show?" Emmett asked Ted as they were seated at a table at Woody's waiting for Michael to bring back beer.

"He'll show. Michael threatened him with loft invasion if he didn't show himself. You know how private he is. He'll show." Emmett and Ted both nodded in agreement.

"I wonder why we haven't seen Brian on the prowl lately?"

"I have no idea, Em. What I do know is that he's been working like a demon lately. And everything that man touches turns to gold. We just closed another contract today, fucking millions!"

"Maybe he's working for two."

"You think he has a boyfriend?"

"What other reason could there be for Brian Kinney to voluntarily pull himself off the market. He certainly hasn't been doing anyone on Liberty for a long time. We would have heard about it." Michael came back with their beers in time to overhear.

"Brian Kinney, boyfriend? Been there, done that and no repeats. The little shit up and left him. Why would Brian do that to himself again?"

"Michael, Justin didn't leave him. They decided together that it was better for Justin to go off on his own for a while. It doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad thing or mutually non-beneficial," Ted tried to reason with Michael.

"Oh come on, Ted. Brian even bought that huge house for the fucker and that didn't get him to stay. No, I don't care what you say, Brian Kinney has learned his lesson. He does not do boy friends," Michael stated emphatically.

Emmett just looked incredulously at Michael then turned to Teddy. "What did he do with the mansion?"

"Turned that sucker into the most posh gay spa on the east coast. It's paid for itself ten times over."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope, I swear the man must shit gold. And he's still fucking gorgeous and he has all of his hair." Ted cast his eyes upwards towards his thinning hairline.

"You and me both, Teddy. That's why I keep mine buzzed." Emmett grinned his toothy grin, wagging his head back and forth. "But someone told me that he saw Brian with some hotshot gorgeous little blond. A very stylish blond too. Not a t-shirt or cargo pant in sight."

"Well, if Brian is fucking someone then it's about time he did someone on his own level." Ted and Emmett looked at Michael as if he had grown a third eye. They would have made a remark but the object of their dissertation just walked through the door. Brian looked as sexy as he ever did, slightly fuller with age but hardened with just the right amount of muscle, every gay man's wet dream. He went to the bar for a light beer then joined the boys.

"So, ladies, what's the topic tonight?"

"Same old, same old. Who's doing whom? And whom is Brian Kinney doing?" Emmett futilely batted his eyes at Brian. Brian took a pull of his beer.

"You know I never kiss and tell, Emily." Brian batted his own lashes at the southern queen.

"It's been rumored that you've been seen with a new twink. A very rich blond twink who has an appreciation for the finer things in life." Ted tried to bait his boss.

"Theodore, I'm surprised at you. You know listening rumors will only get you...fired." Brian glared at the man who immediately shut up and made a 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' sign.

"Well that does not work on me. You can't fire me. Who is this little tidbit that has you squirreled away?"

Before Brian could answer, Michael jumped in, "Oh for crying out loud, Em, he doesn't have to answer that."

"Mikey," Brian completely changed the subject, "where's your better half tonight?" Noting the lack of big bad Ben.

"He's home grading papers or something like that."

"And he's let you out to play with the boys? How sweet." Brian knew that his snark had a cutting edge but Mikey never felt the sting. Brian kissed him softly on the forehead. Mikey beamed up at him with the largest puppy dog eyes imaginable. Brian downed the rest of his beer then put the bottle on the table with a thunk. "Well, boys, it's been real, but I have to go."

"Go? But you just got here," Mikey whined.

"There, there, Mikey. It can't be helped. I have a handy-man doing some work in the loft and I have to be there to pay him." Brian gave his friends a sly grin and wink.

"Oooohhh!" All three men said in unison and winked back. Michael slapped Brian on the back, sending him off.

"Make sure you tip him well, Bri." Brian gave them a regal wave as he turned to saunter out. "See, nothing's changed. He's the same old Brian," Michael said with a self satisfied grin.

"Hmm." Emmett and Ted exchanged skeptical looks.

*****

"You're back early. How did you make your escape?" The 'handy-man' asked as he was using a ratchet to tighten the legs of the desk.

"Told them I had to tip my handy-man for a job well done," Brian explained. "Is it done?"

"Almost, just have to make a few more adjustments. It'll go faster if you help." The 'handy-man' gave Brian a kiss.

"Sure." Brian kissed back and waited for instructions. Within the hour the desk was completed and they stepped back to admire their work.

"I like it. You?" The younger man looked up at Brian.

"I like it too. But what I like better is being able to share the work space with you." Brian murmured into the blond's ear. The man turned in Brian's arms and kissed him all over his face.

"Now if I remember correctly, didn't someone say something about licking off my hard earned sweat? I think I earned my tip."

Brian hoisted his personal handy-man over his shoulder and took him to bed for his reward.