The process of bringing Justin’s belongings inside the house didn’t take long; placing them in the right spots took hours, however.

Since Brian was unable to help with unwrapping the paintings in the attic, which was what took hours, he stayed downstairs with Nick. The boy was excited to be reunited with his upright piano.

Brian wasn’t a great fan of the piano music, but he preferred it to the violin. He lay lounged on the couch, with his injured foot propped on the stuffed arm of the sofa.

“He’s pretty good,” Michael said, sitting on the coffee table next to Brian.

“Don’t sit on the table.” Brian pushed Michael off with his hand.

He moved at the other end of the couch with Brian’s feet on his lap. “Does it hurt?”

“Not much. If it’s sprained, why the fuck did they put it in a cast? I can’t walk with this thing.”

“The doctor knows better. Anyway…how is it so far? Living with Justin…again?”

Brian scowled, eyeing Nick at the piano. “It’s okay.”

“What’s the plan?” Michael inquired.

“What plan?”

“To get back together. Isn’t this the reason why you accepted to shack up?”

“Don’t use that word.” Brian felt ill at the concept of shaking up. “I wanted to stay at home…and not bother you or Daphne or anyone. He offered to be my bitch.”

“How sweet. Really, Brian.” Michael patted Brian’s good leg. “Now, tell me about the real plan.”

Brian nodded to Nick. “I have to win him over. Justin’s world revolves around him. What Nick wants, he gets.”

“That’s the worst thing I ever heard you say.” Michael stared at his friend, scandalized.

Brian put his tongue in his cheek, catching Michael’s eye.

“Seriously. You’re planning on using that child to get what you want?”

“Do you have any other idea? Have you seen Justin? I’ve never seen him so fucking uptight and full of himself. Even though he shows his human face for one moment, then he’s back to—”

“He just lost his husband. Can you be a little considerate?”

“He didn’t care about Ian.”

“They weren’t together for so many years because Justin didn’t care about him.”

“No, they weren’t,” Brian agreed. “Justin lived in his fantasy world where everything was unicorns and rainbows, when in reality it wasn’t.”

“What do you mean?” Michael frowned, curious if Brian was making up stuff because he was jealous, or Justin had told him something.

“I’m thirsty. Bring me some water.”

“I’m not your bitch.”

“Oh.” Brian sucked on his lips. “JUSTIN!”

Michael slapped Brian’s good leg, snorting, earning a sly smirk from Brian.

“You don’t have to shout. I can run and get Daddy for you,” Nick chided Brian, making Michael laugh.

“What’s wrong?” Justin rushed into the living. His eyes landed on his son, checking if he was all right, then narrowed at Brian. “You scared me to death. What the fuck do you want?”

“I’m thirsty.”

Justin openly gaped at Brian. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I’m not allowed to walk.”

“You came upstairs on your own earlier, then went down on your own.”

“And I nearly fell a few times. I want water…without breaking my other leg, too.”

“Get your own water.” Justin turned to head back upstairs, when Brian waved him closer.

“Come here.” When Justin stopped next to the couch, Brian grabbed Justin’s arm, squeezing right where he knew the bruise was. “Water.”

Cringing in pain, Justin wrenched his arm away. “You aren’t going to manipulate me into bringing you water, which you can get yourself. If you needed something from upstairs, or help showering, or whatever else you couldn’t actually do yourself, I might have helped. But water? No. Get it yourself.” Justin went to his son, kissing his head. “Want to come help me unwrap my paintings?”

“Sure, Daddy.” Nick shrugged to Brian on his way out of the room, following his father.

“That went well,” Michael joked.

“Fuck off.” Brian leaned to the coffee table, snatching his cigarettes and lighter. After a few failed attempts, he managed to light his smoke, inhaling greedily. “Little shit.”

“I guess it would be harder than you thought to lure him back in your web.”

“Piss. Off.”

“Do I want to know what happened?” Ben joined them in the living room. “What have you done, Brian?”

“How did you figure it’s my fault?”

“We were talking, and Justin even smiled a few times, then you called…and when he returned, he was real upset. He wanted to be alone with his son.”

“His social skills are immaculate,” Michael answered, tickling Brian’s sole.

Brian squirmed away, cracking up. “Fuck you, Novotny!”

When Michael didn’t relent, Brian rolled off the couch, hopping to the kitchen. After sating his thirst, Brian called the take-out place. It usually took them a couple hours to get the delivery at the correct address.

By the time the food arrived, Justin and Nick returned downstairs. Justin completely ignored Brian, maintaining small talk with Michael and Ben.

Brian seized that opportunity to get closer to Nick. “Help me set the table,” he said in the child’s ear.

He didn’t take into account that Justin was a WASP and he had brought his son up in the same style. So when Nick turned to Justin, asking if he could go with Brian, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Justin eyed Brian suspiciously, but nodded. “Be careful, okay?”

Nick nodded, taking Brian’s hand as they went to the kitchen.

“As much as Brian praises he doesn’t like kids, they seem to like him.” Michael looked after his best friend, watching his interaction with Justin’s kid.

“Sure he likes kids. He has one, who he misses a lot,” Justin defended Brian. He knew Brian wasn’t a big fan of kids, but that didn’t mean he didn’t like them.

“Yeah, you should have seen him a few years ago. He promoted this campaign for kids eating healthier in school. Then he had to show his face at a benefit party the parents threw for his success…and there’s this picture of a freaked out Brian surrounded by small children.” Michael laughed. “I think we have that photo somewhere, right, Ben?”

“Definitely. That campaign showed everyone he wasn’t such a monster as most people believed,” Ben agreed.

“I know. I’ve seen the photos in the newspaper. The campaign was nationwide, wasn’t it?” Justin asked, glancing toward the kitchen. He chuckled at the sight of Brian and Nick dueling with two forks. “He’s such a kid himself.”

The doorbell rang, announcing the food’s arrival. Ben offered to get it.

“Justin,” Michael said in a small voice.

“Yeah?”

“Whatever you choose to do, don’t hurt Brian. He’s suffered enough after you two broke up.”

“Why do you think I want our own place as soon as possible? I’d rather not drag this more than necessary. One reason I initially wanted to stay with Daphne.”

“So this is painful for you too? It means you still—”

“Don’t, Michael. Don’t.”

“If you’re hungry, food’s here,” Ben called over.

“Don’t worry, Michael. Getting back together with Brian is the last thing I want. Nick is my priority.” Justin made his way into the kitchen, sweeping his son off from the floor, and giving him a big kiss on the cheek. “Having fun, baby?”

Nick nodded excitedly. “Brian’s good at the Battle of Forks.”

“Is he now?”

“Yup.” Nick held his fist to Brian over his father’s shoulder.

Brian bumped his fist, grinning, before patting Justin on the shoulder. “He’s got good wrist technique.”

“That’s one thing I didn’t want to know about my five-year-old kid.”

“It’s not my fault you’re a pervert.”

“What’s a per’vt?” Nick inquired, frowning at the adults.

“Brian,” Justin groaned loudly.

“Brian is a per’vt?”

At that innocent comment everyone but Brian burst out laughing.

“It’s a great accusation,” Brian muttered.

“Then why did you call Daddy that?”

“Yes, Brian. Why?” Justin kept laughing.

“Urgh. I take it back. Forget I said anything.”

They sat at the table, still chuckling.

“Uh, I’m not sure why I’m asking any of you,” Justin started once they all calmed down. “By any chance, do any of you know of a good school? It all happened so fast…I withdrew Nick from school in New York, without having anything here. I don’t want him to miss out too much.”

“Don’t look at us. Hunter was high school material when we adopted him,” Michael said amused.

“Lucky you,” Brian told them. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but I had this campaign—”

“I am. I know,” Justin explained.

“And I stayed friends with a few principals, so I can put a good word in for you. Now, it depends what you’re looking for – private or public school?”

“He’s been in public school, but it’s for shit. I mean, they didn’t really have time to focus on all students since there were so many of them.”

“So private education?” Brian raised an eyebrow.

“Despite my better judgment, yes. I experienced that and it wasn’t so bad. At least, I remember stuff I learned all those years ago.”

“I do, too. It doesn’t matter if it’s public or private. I think it’s the student’s problem if he doesn’t study. But I doubt that’s the case. He’s your kid, after all.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, and I’d like to talk to someone from a private school.” Justin smiled sweetly.

“Good. You’ll have to drive me to work tomorrow. I have the business cards there. And while I’m at work, you can find something to entertain yourself.”

“I have plenty to do. I’m going to talk to the galleries in town, meet with Mom and try making peace, house hunt, maybe even meet with one of the principals.” He shrugged. “Do you think Debbie would like to keep an eye on Nick? I don’t want to drag him all over town.”

“You know Ma. She’d love to but I think she’s working.”

“He can stay at Kinnetik. I was prodded to build a children’s daycare for my employees with kids.”

Michael laughed, remembering how the inauguration day turned out. “You should have seen how many there were on the first day.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “Yeah, all the daddies brought their spawns to work at their wives’ insistence. It was insane. Now it’s better. There are five-six kids, all younger than yours, but that’s because the others grew up and are in school by now.”

“Huh. I never thought you’d make a special room for employees with children.”

“It was Cynthia’s idea when my people weren’t at work under the excuse of staying home with the sick kid, or while their partner was at work, they couldn’t come to work as well having no one to drop the kid off.”