BRIAN 

I've been sitting at work, trying to avoid feeling anything about my father. It’s like I expected a change, but it's just like the last time, he announced his cancer and barely bothered with me after. He did show up with the picture, he looks happy in that picture, it makes me wonder what he was happy about. It couldn't have been me, because I was a drunken mistake. Justin hasn't tried to make me talk about it, because he understands how confusing it is to still want your father's love, no matter what they have done to you. It’s why I've wanted Gus around all the time. I never want him to doubt my feelings towards him.

I know I've been neglecting Justin lately, but I tend to internalize when things get hard. The thing is, he isn't taking it personally, which makes me want to tell him how much he means to me. Remembering how I went to Michael instead of Justin the last time just makes me feel even worse, because other than laying there, he didn't do anything. I know I chose him because at the time Justin and I weren't as close as we are now. Plus, I felt like a pussy, crying over the asshole who beat the shit out of me just because he could.  

Lately Michael shows up and waits for one of us to kiss his ass. He made sure everyone knew where the two black eyes came from. Emmett, of course, made sure everyone knew why it happened. Made it hard to get sympathy from Justin’s fan club, you know, every queer on Liberty. They all love the twat.

David came storming over after Michael left Deb’s, to find out why I hit him. It was different this time, because everyone heard Michael say that shit, and sorry but it hit too close to home again. I couldn't think through the red haze, all I know is I yanked myself away from Justin, and Michael was on the floor, and when he tried to look hurt and held out his hand for me to help him up, I hit him again. Who says shit like that about anyone? Once was him running his mouth, but twice is him really thinking Justin being dead would solve everything. 

David asked us to let him handle Michael’s propensity for spouting out nasty shit. Of course, David was polite about it.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to imply that Justin should be dead, but I understand how you feel. I think if I work with Michael on thinking before he says things, you’ll be happier with him.” David tells us. Guess having a willing househusband was worth the time to David. 

“You really think Michael is capable of learning?” Emmett asks.

“I think that he needs someone who can overlook his childish antics. Possibly being away from all of you, will help him. Can you guys let me handle it?” He asks us.

There is the dick I know. If David wants to play with Mikey, let him. It just gives us all a break from wanting to kill Michael. 

“Tell him not to come around me for a while, I’m not in the mood for his shit.” I tell David. It gives David what he wants, Michael without me.

After that, other than Michael showing up at the diner and sitting at the counter, while Deb ignores him, we have been free of his interference. 

You know, sometimes I speak too soon.

“Can you tell Brian I need to see him? It’s really important.” I hear him tell Cynthia.

“Michael, it would be better if you called ahead, this is a business, not a club.” Cynthia lectures him. She never really liked Michael. 

“I need to… just please ask him to see me.” Wonder what brought out the polite Mikey?

I go out so Cynthia doesn’t kick him out, I was curious. He looks relieved as I lead him to my office, hopefully David wants to move sooner.

“Brian, David… oh God… I thought…. Why would he do this?” Michael asks me. 

Like any of that made sense. What happened during this time? I sat and couldn’t really remember. He and David got together, broke up, Paris, shit on us, then what. Oh yeah, now I remember, but I didn’t catch David this time, would he have told Michael?

“Use more than two word sentences, it might help me understand why you're here freaking out.” I tell him.

“Brian, Justin and I wanted to show you… Michael what are you doing here?” Ted asks, while Justin looks at me. Ted isn’t happy to see Michael, he told me that your friends don't say your partner should be dead. It doesn’t matter how it was said.

“I’m trying to find out, but so far it was ‘David’, ‘oh God’, ‘I thought’, and the actual sentence ‘Why would he do this?’ Maybe you can get it out of him.” I tell Ted. I personally don't care about Mikey’s problems. I just want him gone, but unless we solve his latest drama, he doesn't go to Portland. 

“Well, are you going to tell us?” Ted asks Michael.

“He found out David went to the baths.” Justin tells us.

“Yes, why would he go there… wait, how do you know?” Michael asks Justin.

“A guy from Babylon was giving David the handjob, told everyone at the diner this morning. You know how queens love to gossip.” Justin is also an excellent liar. We haven’t been to either place in the last day.

“Please tell me Ma didn’t hear it.” He begs Justin. Deb would probably laugh her ass off, since she still hasn’t forgiven him.

“No, they didn’t say it in front of her.” Justin tells him. I don’t remember her finding out, in fact I know she didn’t, because it would have somehow been my fault. 

“What am I supposed to do? I thought we were together.” Michael tells us.

“It was just a handjob, it’s not like he was fucking other people.” I tell Michael. It didn't go over well with him the last time I tried to help, doubt it will this time.

“I don’t care, we are in a relationship, he even told me he was going to be at some business function.” He tells us.

“Did you say anything to David, or just run here?” Ted asks him.

“I was hurt and I don’t know what to say to him, so I just left when he told me.” So David told him, but why?

“What made him tell you?” I get last time, he was worried about what I would say, but I wasn’t there for him to worry about this time.

“He said he felt bad and didn’t want to hide it from me.” What a joke, he probably worried what Justin said would come true. At least David is true to form.

“Then decide if you can live with it, or tell him goodbye.” Ted tells him. 

“Maybe I should do what he did and see how he likes it. A guy hit on me at Babylon last night.” Michael tells us. Way to go, isn’t that what someone in middle school does? It really makes me wonder what kind of person I was, that this was my ‘best friend’.

“Or you could discuss with David how you feel about it, and define what you want in a relationship, and what you think is acceptable.” Ted tells him. Ted needs to remember this is Michael, he doesn’t think, he reacts.

“You think I should go home and try to salvage this? I could just say fuck it and wait for the right person.” Michael asks me. Why is he looking at me like that? I will never be at the end of his wait.

“What does it matter what any of us think? It’s your life to live. Just like Justin is my life, and I plan on living it with him.” I tell him. I can’t make it any plainer for him.

“You don’t think what he did was cheating? Don’t you care that he did this to me?” Michael asks me. No I don't, but he seems to think I should. 

“Depends on how you define cheating.” I tell him. I mean Justin wasn’t cheating until it became more than just fucking with the fiddler. I was willing to wait for him to come home. I knew we weren’t over, just letting go until we were ready. 

“Cheating is cheating, what you have to decide is if you're man enough to let it go and stay with the person you love.” Justin tells Michael.

“See, it is cheating, would you be willing to forgive Brian if he cheated?” Michael asks Justin.

“I would, because it wouldn’t be about me, but that for a moment someone else did something for him that I couldn’t. It was never about my loving him, it was looking for something he felt he needed at the time.” Justin tells him. Justin has to know, I knew that. I didn’t forgive him, I forgave us for not being what each other needed at the time.

“I think I’ll go talk to David.” Michael walks over to Justin, hugs him and tells him thanks. What the fuck was that?

“I swear, it’s like he forgets he hates you.” Ted tell Justin.

“I told him what he wanted to hear, so I’m not the person who stole Brian, at the moment. Truthfully, we get to be better friends later.” Justin tells Ted.

“It just seems like he’s either the friend we all knew or acting like a jackass.” Ted tells me.

“Welcome to the next five years.” I tell Ted.

JUSTIN

I was entering school when someone yanked me into the bathroom. Shit, what does Chris want?

“You know if you don’t like fags, yanking a fag that you outed into the bathroom, gives people the wrong idea.” I tell him and yank my arm out of his grip.

“You need to tell Daphne to get her parents to back off. The school is talking about kicking me off the team.” He acts like I care.

“Maybe you could stop trying to harass her. I mean, what did she do to you that makes you have to try to fuck with her all the time? Until this year you never even talked to her.” I tell him.

“It’s not her, I… it’s that… why do you… fuck it, just tell her to call off her parents.” He tells me and walks back out of the bathroom.

He and Michael should take classes on how to tell people what they’re thinking. I go and wash my hands and arm, I can’t stand him touching me. I walk out to see Daphne waiting for me.

“Why is Chris yanking you into the bathroom?” She asks me.

“I guess he’s worried he’ll being kicked off the team. He wanted me to tell you to tell your parents to back off.” I tell her.

“Wait till he finds out that in order to attend the prom, he has give a speech on Bullying at the pep rally.” She tells me.

“When did that get decided?” I ask her.

“When Chris’s parents asked my parents to not ruin Chris’s chances at a scholarship. My mother wanted Chris to have to tell the whole school and all the parents what he said, but the principal told her he would prefer not to have that kind of language said out loud. My mother told him that she would have preferred it too. The compromise is Chris has to write, and read the speech, and also explain what he learned from it.” She tells me.

“They think Chris is going to learn from it?” The guy's a psycho.

“My mom was hoping he wouldn’t do it. She rather he get kicked off the team and lose his scholarship.” She tell me.

“AND, what is with all the making me wait for information lately?” I tell her.

“You've been busy, until today, and his parents aren’t giving him a choice. So we get to find out if Chris can read or write.” She tells me.

We split up to go to class and I was going to gym, when Chris blocks my way.

“You really need to stop trying to get me alone, people are going to think you're interested.” I tell him. Maybe he’ll fucking leave me alone.

“This shit is fucking with my life, my girlfriend’s parents told her she isn’t going out with me anymore. My grandfather told my dad to make me do whatever it takes to make Daphne’s parents happy. He doesn’t want people to think he condones my behavior. When all this is your fault, for…” He starts trying to back me into a wall. No fucking way. I slide sideways and put distance between us.

“Chris do yourself a favor, don’t look at me, think about me, or even come near me. It seems to make you doubt who you are.” I tell him.

“What am I?” He seems confused.

“Someone I could never be interested in.” I tell him. I back away because Chris has to wait for your back to be turned to get the balls to do anything.

“I’m not a faggot.” He yells at me.

“Then you shouldn’t have problems with me being one. Figure out what you are before someone gets hurt.” I finally get far enough to turn and leave.

BRIAN

I was waiting this morning for the call, it was time. You know, I never bothered to visit his grave or even act like I remembered him, but I still remember the day he died. It's like a bell that told me I was free of him.

“You want me to get the phone when it rings?” Justin asks me.

“Why not, I plan on taking you with me. Might as well let my mother meet you without Viagra.” I joke.

“Shit, I remember walking out and not knowing what to do. All I could think was ‘do I stay’ or ‘run back in the bedroom’.” He tells me.

“She needed to know, I couldn’t keep hiding it.” I tell him.

“Did she ever find out about Gus?” He asks me.

“No, I didn’t want her near him, when they moved, it made it easier. There was no chance of accidental run-ins. Lindsay did try to get me to introduce her and Gus to Joan. I told Lindsay if she took Gus anywhere near my mother, I would stop sending money.” I tell him.

“It’s weird to think she knew everything and managed to keep it to herself.” He tells me.

“It makes some of the things she did make more sense.” I tell him.

“Um, maybe we could do some of the things you did to me last night again.” Justin tells me.

I roll over and kiss him, wanting to get lost in Justin. It’s the fantasy, I want to live every minute of the day.

Reality is a ringing phone, that ends the ‘Saga of Jack Kinney’, a man who never managed to do anything because he knocked up Joan.