Brian stood before the mirror, visually assessing himself as he always did before a night at Babylon. He had been forced to deviate from his normal ‘hunting' wardrobe, as tonight he would not only be working, but would be forced to be packing as well. Tonight, he wore a red shirt, with the top two buttons open, tight jeans to accentuate his perfect ass and hips, and a weapon holstered to his side. A weapon that he hoped he wouldn't need. However, already observing Justin's penchant for finding and causing trouble - he wouldn't be the least bit surprised for it to become necessary.

Shaking his head as he stood before the mirror, Brian knew what he was doing. He wasn't preening or double-checking his appearance. He knew he looked good. Better than good. He was hot and he undoubtedly knew just that. Brian was doing something he never did, in work or pleasure. He was stalling. It wasn't that he was worried about protecting Justin at Babylon. His gut told him they had at least a day or two of grace before the stalker attacked again. Taking Justin from his home environment would have caught the perpetrator off guard, giving them pause for thought before the next attack. That would only work to Brian's advantage, and in return - Justin's. In that time, Brian could investigate everyone in Justin's household and employ, resulting in returning Justin to a much more secure home.

No, Brian's wariness about this night had nothing to do with protecting his client. He was certain he could do that, even in the bustling atmosphere of Babylon. His concern centered around Justin's agenda for tonight, He was no fool. He knew exactly what the adorable little songbird planned. Tonight, Brian knew he needed to be at the top of his game - in more ways than one. Without a doubt, tonight Justin would step up his seduction attempts, and on the grand stage afforded at Babylon. Brian groaned, knowing this was looking to be a long and extremely difficult night.

Brian flinched when he heard a tap on his bedroom door, immediately tensing with the thought it would be Justin. Forcing a calm expression on his face, a calm that was far from present in the rest of him, he strode to the door, widely opening it, letting out a slow whoosh of relief seeing that it was Ben. Motioning him inside with a quick wave of his hand Brian followed behind him after closing the door. Brian looked at Ben curiously for a short moment, before he asked, "Something I can do for you, Ben?"

Ben laughed. "Was that relief I just saw on your face? Expecting someone else, or should I say, dreading it to be?"

"Shut the fuck up, Ben. I am so not in the mood for it," Brian snapped, as he slipped on his jacket, effectively covering the firearm he carried.

"Poor Brian. It's going to be a long, and hard night for you, isn't it? Emphasis on the hard," Ben chuckled.

Brian's scowl darkened, before he said, "I'd watch it, Bruckner. Don't make me fuck with you on your date tonight. The one with my best friend, remember?"

"I hadn't forgotten. Uh, Brian, I hate harping on the subject, but are you going to be able to handle this?"

"Justin at Babylon? Piece of cake. I'd say we have a bit of grace with our hasty departure, and different locale. Regardless of that, I don't intend to let my guard down," Brian answered, as he headed toward the door, pretending not to understand what Ben had really been asking.

"Nice try, Brian, but we both know we're not talking about your ability to protect Justin tonight. I agree he should be safe enough there tonight, outside of some excitable fans, which is something the kid gets everywhere he goes. I'm talking about this not-so-one-sided attraction between the two of you. Are you going to be able to handle it when he really puts on the pressure - on the Babylon stage - where you have to watch all the other queers drooling to yank his ass to the backroom? What will you do if he takes a trick back there?" Ben asked bluntly, getting directly in Brian's face.

Brian's eyes flickered for a brief moment. The possibility had just occurred to him for the first time tonight. He didn't know how he would react. All he knew was that he had to be by his side to maintain his safety, and handle it. "Well then, I guess since I have to watch over the kid, I'll have to grab my own trick to pass the time while he's getting his rocks off. Doesn't sound very challenging to me."

"Always so flippant and quick to answer, Bri. It's not as simple as that, and we both know it," Ben clipped out. "Somehow, Justin has done the unthinkable and gotten under the impenetrable skin of Brian Kinney. There is only one choice that I can see."

"Oh? and what might that be, all-knowing one?" Brian asked drolly.

"Give in to it and get the kid out of your system. Then, you can get back to the business of protecting him until we find out who's trying to kill him," Ben thundered back, unwilling to admit how worried he was about this unneeded distraction Brian had toward Justin.

Brian gazed at Ben with cold eyes. "How I handle or don't handle Justin is my business. I do believe I am in charge now. If that's not the case, you can take his blond boy ass back home and deal with what comes for him next. Is that what you want, Ben?"

"You know that's not what I want. I came to you, remember? At this point, I think you are the only man that can keep him safe. I'm just fucking scared here. You never get distracted, and I've seen the signs all day, Brian. You can't keep your eyes off of him. Just admit it, Brian. You want him," Ben whispered in a low voice, as they ventured their way into the hallway, en route to the staircase.

At the top of the stairs, Brian swiveled around, piercing Ben with his eyes. "Fine. I want him. Who the fuck wouldn't? That doesn't mean I can't resist his charms while effectively doing my job. Now, after the job is over, that's another matter entirely." His eyes floated around, making certain they were alone, his senses telling him that might not be the case, but his eyes finding no visual proof of it. "When Justin is safe once again, and his stalker is either dead or behind bars - I don't give a damn which - that boy's ass will be all mine until I decide I've had enough of it. That, my friend, is a promise!"

Ben shook his head as he watched Brian vault down the stairs. Running a hand through his hair, he groaned aloud, "We are all so totally fucked..."

"Hmm, and I do hope soon indeed as well, Ben," Justin whispered into Ben's ear, coming swiftly up behind him.

"Awww, fuck. You heard all of that, didn't you?" Ben asked wearily.

Justin smirked, before moving to descend the staircase. "I heard all I needed to hear. Of course, it wasn't anything I didn't know already. Now, shall we go?" Eyes narrowing on Ben sharply, his voice immediately changed from playful to assertive. "Brian can't know I heard what he said, got that, Ben?"

"Whatever, Justin. I'm out of it now. I've given Brian all the warnings I know to give. What happens now, happens," Ben said in a combination of exasperation and resignation.

"Good. Now, let's go have a fun evening," Justin said in parting as he shot down the stairs, more anxious than before to begin this little outing. Justin sauntered into Brian's living room, his eyes lighting up seeing Brian impatiently waiting for them. His thoughts were very clear. Wait until the job is over, oh, I don't think so, Mr. Bodyguard. Game is on tonight, and once I'm finished - you won't be able to hold out...

Brian's eyes briefly slithered over Justin's skin-tight leather pants, before they slipped away just as quickly in pretended indifference. "Are you ready, songbird?"

"Oh yes, Brian. I am more than ready. What about Ben, isn't he coming with us?" Justin asked.

"He's going to meet us there. He thinks he's on a proper date," Brian said with a slight sneer, almost shuddering in distaste at the sound of ‘date' passing through his lips.

"By your reaction, I see that you don't follow such normal processes," Justin shrewdly observed.

"You see a lot, little boy. However, you are correct. I am not a date kind of guy. Not now. Not ever," Brian said, as he opened and closed the door behind them, securing the alarm system before they stepped off the porch.

"We'll just see about that, Mr. Kinney. I think you just haven't met your match yet, or perhaps you have, and are just fighting it..." Justin said, watching him closely.

Brian snorted. "Such a man doesn't exist. Just keep your little songwriter perception directed away from me and aimed toward the rest of the saps in your spectrum."

Justin laughed. "So many issues with you, Mr. Bodyguard, but I think they are repairable. In fact, I'm going to make a bold prediction."

Sliding into the Vette, watching as Justin buckled himself in, Brian arched a brow as he produced his most bored expression, before asking, "And what might that be?"

"Before this assignment of yours is completed - you, Brian Kinney, will ask me, Justin Taylor on a date, and it will be entirely of your own volition," Justin told him, not one doubt present in his mind. Adding further fuel to the fire, Justin taunted, "Whether or not I accept, of course, remains to be seen..."

Brian rolled his eyes as he punched in the security code to open the front gates, pausing only to ascertain they closed behind him. Pulling out onto the highway, he flickered a brief glance to his ballsy passenger, before he spoke, "One, it will never happen, Taylor, and two, we both know you would be salivating for the opportunity."

Justin held his tongue, looking out the window, not wanting to unduly alarm Brian quite yet. He had no way of knowing if Brian would turn the car around and take them back to his home, and that wouldn't befit his plan at all. No, Brian. I won't be the one salivating tonight. You will be the one to lose your precious control. Then, I will have what I want the most, what we both want.

TBC