Justin's eyes were wide in excitement as he watched what he knew would be Brian leading the team to victory in the final minutes of the game. He glanced briefly at Brandon's blank expression, his hand clutching tightly onto Brandon's arm as he fervently prayed for Brian to make this critical fourth-down conversion. He released Brandon's arm to cover his eyes. "I can't look. Tell me when the play is over."

Brandon snorted derisively. "I'm sure you'll know from the crowd - one way or the other."

Immediately discerning the sarcasm in Brandon's voice, Justin turned to face him, the important play forgotten. "I don't get you, Brandon. This is Brian's big moment. A win here is huge for him."

Clicking his teeth, Brandon sputtered, "I wouldn't want to spoil Brian's big moment. Let's just watch the game, okay?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Justin turned his attention back to the game, unable to understand how cold Brandon was being regarding something that was so important to his brother. "Oh my God!" Justin screamed with the rest of the Pittsburgh Panthers fans. He jumped to his feet, shouting out in excitement, his eyes glued to the field as Brian threw a pass that covered twenty-five yards, with the receiver bursting unheeded into the end zone.

The sound in the stadium was nearly deafening as the time ran out, the team and fans celebrating alike, in a victory that had been a near defeat. Justin spun around to see Brandon still seated, his eyes staring stonily ahead. He gasped upon seeing the anger in Brandon's eyes, the coldness that seemed to cling to his entire being. "Brandon? What's wrong? We won. It's a fabulous victory."

Standing to his feet, Brandon began to walk down the steps, his intention being to depart the stadium, and be back to his dorm room in the quickest amount of time possible. He needed to think... and he needed it to be away from Justin, and the ambiance of all that was connected to Brian. He didn't slow his steps as he heard Justin calling out from behind him. As far as he was concerned, the weekend was over.

"Brandon - wait!" Justin called out, quickly noticing them being separated by all the bodies moving in between them. Rushing ahead, and squeezing in between other students, Justin reached for his arm to stop his movement. "Damn! What's the rush, Brandon? I thought you wanted to have dinner after the game."

"I seemed to have lost my appetite." Brandon eyed him accusingly for a long moment, before he removed Justin's hand from his arm... his footsteps immediately picking up. Realizing that Justin was determined to not only keep up with him, but gain answers as well, Brandon turned to wearily tell him, "Listen, it's been a rough couple of days. I think I'll just go back to my dorm and rest for a while. You don't mind, do you?"

Justin shook his head, his eyes searching Brandon's evasive ones intently. "No, of course not. Uhhh, you're not feeling ill, are you?"

"No! Why does it always have to come back to my fucking illness! Fuck! I'm just tired, Justin. Let me be for now. Okay?" Brandon pushed himself away and off into the direction of his dorm, at this moment uncaring if Justin followed him or not. He was so tired of this fucking drama. It was always Brian. Nothing ever changed. He had set them up for a day of intimacy, but Justin had insisted on being at the game. It had become a rush against time to secure a cab to get them to the stadium on time. After the beautiful and hot start to the morning - an interlude that had ended far sooner than he would have liked, it now had to end like this. He wasn't giving up. There was no way he would do that. However, he needed to think this out.

Brandon didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that Justin had stopped following him. Why would he? His attitude had given Justin the excuse to run back to his dorm and wait for the brother that was truly on his mind. He was sick of it. Until he figured out a way to effectively fight his brother, there was no reason to continue. Every effort he made - in the end - left him with the feeling of banging his head against the wall. He turned to look back at a stunned Justin, his words cutting when he spoke, "Be sure to congratulate my brother for me."

Justin answered with a nod. He didn't know what to say now. Brandon's behavior was confusing, and the complete antithesis of the man he had come to know. None of it made sense. "I will." Swallowing with difficulty, Justin asked, "You'll let me know how your checkup goes on Monday?"

Deciding this was his last chance to score on some of ‘those' points, Brandon responded, "Do you really care, Justin? I mean really?"

Gasping, Justin's mouth dropped open, hurt and confusion clearly transforming his face. "I can't believe you'd ask that, Brandon, or even think it! You know how worried I've been since you first told me about your illness. I'm going back to my dorm now. I think it best if we don't talk for a while; at least, not until you snap out of whatever has you so irritable."

Brandon snorted. "I don't think that will be changing overnight. Later, Justin."

"Later..." Justin returned, tears slipping down his face as he watched Brandon walking away. He picked up his pace, quickly moving in the direction of his dorm, hoping solitude and separation would make things better. Thinking back to how coldly Brandon had treated him from the time he had insisted they go to the game, Justin wondered if his attitude stemmed from mere sexual frustration at having his obvious plans thwarted... or could it be even more? At the moment, he really didn't care which. Brandon had been out of line completely, and right now, he didn't want to spend one single moment with him.

Justin slammed the door, uncaring of the sound reverberating down the entire hall. During the walk back, his hurt feelings had quickly morphed into burning anger. How dare Brandon treat him that way? He hadn't done anything wrong. "Fucking asshole!" Justin muttered to no one in particular, only to glare when mocking laughter greeted him.

"Temper, temper. My sedate brother won't know how to handle that..." Brian assured himself he wasn't making that remark in order to fish for information. Despite what Lindsay believed - he didn't give a damn what happened between Brandon and this little twat. He refused to accept anything else.

"Fuck him!" Justin exploded. "I don't care if I ever see him again!"

This was serious, Brian thought. A lovers spat? Or something more? Brian finished admiring himself in the mirror, satisfied with the final result, before turning to look at the glowering, yet entirely too beautiful blond. He wondered if Brandon had finally done the right thing and admitted his deception. That would explain Justin's anger. It had been the right thing to do, no matter if it ended their relationship; Brian was glad Brandon had finally realized that. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk?" Justin asked. "I remember the last time you tried to console me; I'm not having you attack me again afterward when you can't keep your hands to yourself!"

"Someone certainly has quite the inflated opinion of himself," Brian drawled, neither admitting nor denying how attractive and nearly irresistible he found his freshman roommate.

"Right," Justin mumbled in a disbelieving tone. "I know we've kind of become friends, but we both know you still want to fuck me."

Brian moved closer, his eyes homing in on the pouting, and entirely too pliable lips. "Is that so?"

Justin nodded, while defiantly staring the beautiful brunet down. "You know it's true; of course, I don't expect you to admit it."

"There's plenty of hot blond-boy ass all over this campus - not to mention throughout the city. I think I'll survive not fucking yours..." Brian countered, cursing to himself at how his dick responded by just speaking of Justin's hot little ass. Hell yeah, he wanted to fuck him. He had from day one. Refraining from doing so wasn't easy; most especially, knowing that he could accomplish that much-desired task so effortlessly - whether the mouthy blond admitted it or not. It wasn't even about Brandon, his brother's behavior lately had greatly diminished his loyalty there - but the emotional attachment Justin would develop in such intimacy, was cause to hold him back. He didn't want or need that right now. Resisting the forbidden fruit had never been more difficult... or as necessary.

His eyes flickering over Brian's mode of dress, Justin observed, "Going out clubbing... and not celebrating with the team? Doesn't that get hard to explain?"

Brian shrugged. "They know I'm different, it's usually not questioned. Generally, I give a token appearance at where they are hanging out. After a reasonable, but short amount of time, I move on to my own celebration. It works for me."

"Just be careful, okay? I wouldn't want the wrong person to find out."

Moving closer, Brian reached up and ran a finger along the side of Justin's cheek, his eyes following his own movement against the pale, perfect skin. His voice becoming husky, he asked, "That isn't concern I hear, is it, Taylor?"

Justin felt like his skin was burning where Brian had briefly touched it. Swallowing with difficulty, he answered, "I guess. I know how important your football career is to you; I'd just hate to see some bigoted asshole cost you."

Rolling his lips under, Brian nodded before backing away. He knew it was a now or never kind of thing. If he stayed this close to the attractive, and oh-so-sensitive blond, he knew he would smash his lips under his own, and distribute the most devouring kiss Justin had ever known. Fuck, he wanted to do that. It was alarming how much he wanted to kiss Justin with all the intensity and lust he felt for him. "Thanks, but don't worry about it. Someday the truth will come out; I can't live like this indefinitely. For now, I'm being careful."

Smiling brightly, thrilled more than words could say that Brian had actually been nice to him, Justin told him, "Have fun with your celebration. After that amazing win today - you really deserve it."

Brian's hand was poised on the door, the words in his head that he knew he probably shouldn't voice, slipping out before he could stop them. "Do you want to come with me?"

Eyes wide in disbelief, Justin squawked, "You want me to go clubbing with you?"

"Sure." Brian's eyes met and held Justin's. "We're friends, right?" When Justin nodded his response, Brian quirked a slow smile. "I'll look out for you, Justin. Nothing will happen there that you don't want to happen."

"Okay. Just give me ten minutes to get ready." Justin scurried to grab his clothes and rush into the bathroom to change. A night out clubbing with Brian. Fuck! Was he ready for this? One thing was for certain - he would learn a lot on this night. With Brian at his side, he knew he would be safe, as well as having a front-row seat of the master at work. He couldn't wait to see what this night had in store for him.

Brandon watched from a distance as Justin got into Brian's car with him; his eyes were filled with jealousy as he watched them drive away. There wasn't a doubt in his mind where Brian was taking him. Justin was slipping away from him, and there didn't seem to be a damned thing he could do about it. He had to do something quickly, but what? Should he appear at Babylon, and make amends with Justin? Was it even possible now that Justin was going there with his hero in tow?

He was so distracted he didn't immediately detect the presence behind him. All he cared about was finding a way to undo the damage he had done... and get Justin away from Brian permanently. Brian always won. Always the hottest guys. He'd never challenged him in that; however, this time was different. Justin was special. Brian wouldn't be the winner. He racked his mind for a solution, only to come back to the same one. It wasn't one that he embraced. As much as he wanted Brian distracted and distant from Justin, he also loved his brother. Right now, though, his desire to come out on top superseded that devotion.

Could he go through with the one sure method that would distract Brian? Dare he go that far? Brian would never forgive him... but right now - did he really care about that?

"Brandon! Where the fuck did Brian just go?"

Rolling his eyes, he turned to face a clearly pissed Chris Hobbs. "I'm not his keeper. He's probably out celebrating."

"Not with the team, he isn't. We're getting sick of him always ditching us to do his own thing. We should be together after a game." His eyes narrowed on Brandon suspiciously. "You don't have any idea where he went, do you? And wasn't that his roommate with him?"

At the mention of Justin being with Brian - the rage and need for revenge immediately erupted. "Yeah. Justin was with him."

"Well? Where could he be going with him?"

Sorry, Bri... he thought to himself. He really had no choice. All was fair in war. And this had undoubtedly escalated into a war. He was losing it now, but the scales would soon balance out. "Try Liberty Avenue." When Hobbs' face transposed into one of utter confusion, Brandon continued, "In particular, try a little club by the name of Babylon. I'm sure you'll find Brian and Justin both there."

"That's a fucking queer club. I'm not going there!" Chris exploded, knowing this had to be some sort of a sick joke... one derived to place him as a source of embarrassment.

Shrugging indifferently, Brandon told him, "That's your choice. You wanted to know where my brother was going, and I just told you."

"Are you telling me that Brian is a faggot?" Chris demanded. "That's not possible. He's the captain of the team. He can't be a fucking queer!"

As much as he hated Chris Hobbs and all that he stood for, he also knew Hobbs would make Brian's life a living hell now. He hoped that Brian handled it so his dreams wouldn't be affected, but in the process distracting him away from Justin long enough for him to get him back. That was all he wanted. He smiled as his best plan yet came together. Justin would be his - exactly as he should be, and Brian would be forced to watch, unable to lift a finger to stop it with his own life so much in the spotlight. Yes, this was perfect. "Only one way to find out for sure, Hobbs. Isn't there?"

Brandon walked away from Chris Hobbs and back to his dorm. He felt a confidence in his step that he hadn't felt for some time. Brian might have fun tonight, but that was all about to change. Soon, his brother would be forced into an existence of self-denial, that was if he planned on keeping his career intact. Brandon knew that mattered to Brian more than anything. Once again, Brian would disappoint Justin, and he would be there to pick up the pieces. Oh yes. He would more than pick up the pieces. Once he did, he would have everything he wanted.

TBC