"So, tell me about yourself," Vas said after they gave their order to the waiter. Vas had taken him to a nice, but not very fancy, Indian restaurant.

"Well, there's not much to tell. In the fall I start my second year at Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Art. I was raised by a single father; I've got a little sister and an older brother and sister." Justin didn't really know what to talk about. Some things were taboo on a first date, right? Such as, no talking about crazy ex-roommate's boyfriends.

"You?"

Vas smiled. "I'm twenty-four years old. As you know, I've been a police officer for the past four months. Before that, I was in the Navy. I was raised by my mom and step-dad until I was fourteen, then my grandparents took me in. Oh, and I have a black lab named Leroy."

Justin couldn't help but ask. "Why did you move in with your grandparents?"

Vas grimaced and Justin felt bad for asking.

"When I was thirteen I realized I wasn't like all the other boys. Then an amazing thing happened; the neighbor boy moved in. Two years older than me he was beautiful, but also tragically straight. That didn't stop my fantasies though. I would even mow the lawn the same time he did so he would notice me. Never happened."

Vas's eyes took on a haunted look. "You don't have to continue."

"Nah, it's okay. It was a little after my fourteenth birthday that everything went to hell. I don't know how my stepfather figured it out but he did. I was in my room when he came in. Before I knew what was happening he was beating me. First just with his fists, then he grabbed my baseball bat. It would have been worse than it was except for the neighbor boy.

"He had heard me screaming and my stepfather yelling about me being a fag. He called the police then ran over with his own baseball bat. Thankfully, the backdoor was unlocked. He hit Keith just as he was about to bash me in the head."

"Oh my god, that's horrible." Justin was shocked that someone could do that to a child, even with his own history. It was even worse when the betrayal was by family; he knew from experience.

"It's over with now. My mom sided with the asshole and my grandparents drove from Pittsburgh to Louisiana. They went to court and got custody of me, not like my mom fought them on it. She didn't want a queer son in her house anyway. It wasn't the first time the man had beat me, but it was the first time he lost control."

The food arrived then but Justin didn't have much of an appetite anymore. He looked down at his food and picked it over. Not really knowing what to say, so he just stayed quiet.

"Oh now, none of that. When I got to my grandparents I had a wonderful life. My grandparents were born in Russia, my father was first-generation born in America. He died when I was a baby, drunk driving. He was no prize either, I've heard. My babushka is a hard woman but never ever turned her back on me. Deda, on the other hand, is a pushover. I love them more than anything."

"Babushka, that's Russian for grandmother right?"

"Yep."

The conversation started to loosen up and get a more casual feeling to it. They talked about Justin's art and Vas's work.

"So why did you decide to become a cop?" Justin asked.

"When I got out of the service I didn't know what to do. My best friend, Trevor told me to give this a try. I'd been listening to him for over a decade, so here I am." He opened his arms, grinning at Justin.

"That's a lot of faith you have in your best friend."

"Well, yeah. If it wasn't for him I would have died at fourteen." He must have noticed Justin's confused look. "Trevor, a.k.a Neighbor boy."

"No shit?!"

"No shit. I sent him a thank you letter once I got settled in Pittsburgh. He wrote back, that's where it started. He visited for two weeks every summer. Then he joined the Navy when I was sixteen, I followed two years later."

"And nothing ever happened between you?" Not wanting to get involved with another Brian/Michael relationship.

"Oh, god no. Still straight as an arrow, I was best man at his wedding. I'm also godfather to his two sons."

"That's incredible. Does he still live in Louisiana?"

"Nah, he lives in New Castle. I try and visit as much as possible. So, tell me more about yourself. You know all my skeletons. All I really know about you is you're an artist and have a father, two sisters, and a brother."

Justin pushed away what was left of his food. "What do you want to know?"

Vas seemed to fidget a little, which was a little funny given his size. "You don't have to tell me but who was that guy?"

Justin inwardly groaned, he was hoping to avoid all mention of Brian fucking Kinney. It wasn't like he wanted to hide his life from Vas but this was his first date. Vas was a very open person, it was refreshing. Brian kept everything to himself.

"That's Brian, he's a…friend." Sort of.

"Cut the shit. That guy was pissed off when I came to get you. I really like you but I don't like being used in some game." The hurt in the man's eyes said it all, he had been in that game before and lost, badly.

"It's only sex, Brian won't let it be anything more. But I need more, even if it isn't with Brian. I'm staying at Brian's until I get a new place. My old one was violated by my roommate's ex-boyfriend. The guy seems to have some sort of obsession with me. Why? I have no idea. I'm nothing special."

"On that I have to disagree, I find you utterly fascinating." Justin blushed, the man really was a sweet talker when he wanted to be. It surprised him how gentle and kind the man was after all that happened to him. It gave him hope that one day he would be just as together as Vas.

The rest of dinner passed quickly. After Justin had told him the truth about Brian, the man turned on his charms. He was really something…. Sexy, and sweet at the same time. Justin was sad when the date started to come to an end.

"It's been a great night," he told Vas. They were in Vas's car leaving the restaurant.

"It has been; I was worried when your dad and his girlfriend starting asking me questions. At first I thought you were going to be some serial killer or something. I wasn't scared of course." He flexed his arm for a second before grabbing the wheel again. Justin laughed at the man's goofiness.

"I know this is a little fast, but would you like to come back to my place? We don't have to do anything. I just don't want to end the night yet," Vas asked.

Justin thought about it. Did he want to go back to Brian's or Vas's? The truth was surprising to him. Vas' was where he wanted to go. Brian didn't think he was worth love and devotion but maybe Vas would. It was way too early to know that but he was willing to try.

Brian stumbled into the loft a little after four in the morning. He didn't want to admit it but he hoped that Justin would be there. He wasn't. The loft was as empty and as untouched as when he left it. Justin had gone home with the man that was clear. Jealousy ate at his gut but he refused to do anything about it. He couldn't be what the kid wanted, better the kid learn it now and go look somewhere else than later. He barely made it to the bed before he crashed. Grabbing the pillow that Justin had used the night before he brought it to his nose and inhaled the blonde's scent.

The next day he blearily walked into the diner. It was loud for a Sunday, or it could be he was hungover. Ted, Michael, Ben and Emmett were seated at their usual booth. He slid into the one next to them. Michael got up and slid in across from him.

"Jesus Christ, Brian, you look like hell."

"Thank you so much for that observation. What do you want?" He wasn't in the mood for whining.

"Why do you always think I want something? I'm just worried about you. Emmett said you didn't leave any booze at Babylon last night. What are you trying to do? Destroy your liver?"

His head was pounding and eyes unfocused. He didn't want to deal with anything at the moment. The noise in the diner seemed to grow by the second.

"Sunshine!" Debbie yelled.

Brian looked up to see Justin and Dudley Do-Right sit down at the counter. Justin was in clothes way too big for him. Obviously, the cop let him borrow some. He was swimming in the jogging pants and t-shirt. The pants were rolled up and shoved into his shoes.

Brian got up from the booth and walked towards the happy couple.

"Well, I don't have you ask where you were last night," he said, standing right behind Justin.

Justin turned around, eyes wide. "Brian, I didn't know you would be here."

"Where else would I be, Sunshine?" he asked, annoyed; not at the question but at the hand that the cop had resting on Justin's inner thigh.

"Sorry, I just wasn't thinking. Did you meet Vas last night?"

"No, can't say I did." He turned towards the man. "I see you took good care of our Sunshine last night."

"I don't see how that is any of your business." The words were harsh but the man was smiling, and it wasn't fake. Who the fuck was this guy?

"Well, kiddos, I've got to be off. Lots of things to get done today. Are you coming back to the loft tonight?" he asked Justin.

"About that, I talked to my dad this morning. He's been staying at Debbie's while Molly is at camp. I'm going to stay at home for a while, I'll have the place to myself. But it's got a top notch security system, so no problem there."

"And you have your own on call cop too. Good for you." Brian gave what he hoped was his best "who the fuck cares" smirk and left. He hoped he could work off some of his anger in the gym. He had to or it was going to be a very long day.