JUSTIN

Hunter told me where to pick him up, and I just wanted to pick up all the kids standing there waiting for some asshole to show up and do things that these kids didn’t ever need to have happen to them. 

“Justin, you can’t save the world.” Hunter tells me getting in.

“I could at least get them a meal or even a place they can feel safe to sleep.” I tell him.

“Which would help for a day, Sometimes life sucks.” He tells me tiredly.

I look at two of the kids and fuck it, at least they could be not hungry for one day. I called the diner and asked if they could have twenty dinners ready. 

“Those two are just stupid.” He tells me when I looked at the two guys.

“Why?” I ask as I drive off.

“They have homes that the parents aren’t total shits, but the one guy is scared of how his dad is going to take that he’s gay. The other kid’s mom is a junkie but she loves him, as much as a junkie can. He’s got decent foster parents but he’s following motorcross like a dipshit.” He tells me.

“How do you know so much?” I ask him.

“Like you seem to care about everyone, I care that the guys don’t do stupid shit.” He tells me and I hate that he knows so much about what could happen and maybe has to these kids.

“Why aren’t you telling them to go home?” I ask.

“Why would they listen to me when they can’t see for themselves?” He asks me.

We walk in and wait for the food. Hunter still doesn’t see what he is to those kids. I saw them listening to him, even when it’s just him cracking a joke.

“You know that you're the kind of person kids in trouble would listen to?” I ask him.

“Why, I’m just some kid who couldn’t tell you which john was my father.” He tells me, shrugging.

“You lived the life that they are headed for, unlike me. Coming from you it wouldn’t sound like someone with no real experience talking.” I tell him.

“Is there some reason you think I’m any example for people?” He asks.

“You might be acting like I’m wasting my time, but you didn’t stop me from feeding these kids.” I tell him.

“One meal can keep them away from becoming me.” He tells me.

“Then one meal is something I can do everyday.” I tell him.

“Your kind of not normal, you know that?” He asks me when we loaded my car.

We delivered the meals, and I needed to see if I could at least offer the two who seemed like they were running from good homes something. Hunter convinced them to accept the tickets I would get to get them home. I let them know that if they needed help just call and I’d do what I could for them.

When we got to my house I needed to be away from people for awhile. Granny and Mom took Hunter under their wing and I ran up to the bedroom. An hour later there was knock and I was mostly ready to deal with people. When Brian came in, I walked into his arms and just let him bring me down from hating what happens to kids.

“You know that even if you wanted to, not all of those kids would let you help.” Brian whispers in my ear.

“I had such a great life, why can’t they all?” I let the tears fall.

“Because the world is full of people who should never have had children.” He tells me.

“Yes, and I want them and can’t have them.” I tell him.

“Why, because we’re gay. I have a son who will grow up knowing you and that’s really something special.” He tells me.

“What if we don’t stay together?” I ask him.

“Would you not want Gus around if we didn’t?” He asks me.

“I would love to have him in my life, but I want to eventually adopt kids who are in situations like Hunter’s.” I tell him, because he needs to know, if he stays, that it’s something I have to do.

“When you and I decide where this is going, then I’ll help you do that too.” He tells me.

“You would?” I ask him.

“Do you know that you're beautiful when you cry?” He tells me, kissing me.

Instead of sex, he sat on the floor in the unfurnished room and pulled me down to sit between his legs. 

“You know the first thing I thought about you when we met again?” He asks me.

“That I was an eavesdropping weirdo?” I ask.

“That you couldn’t be real. Who cares about someone they never met?” He asks me.

“I just cooked you something to eat.” He tells me.

“Not everyone’s like that. Justin, do you know what most people do when they see those street kids?” He asks me. “They pretend they don’t see them. You're up here trying to figure out how to help them when the rest of us would walk by. It’s why I’m amazed by you.” He tells me.

“Everyone deserves a good life.” I tell him.

“Yes, but we don’t live in a world where it’s all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes shitty things happen to people who don’t deserve them and sometimes assholes get good lives.” He tells me.

“Is it too much to want to help the ones I can?” I ask, because I know sometimes I take it too far.

“Where were you when I could have used you to keep me from being an uncaring asshole? You make me want to care.” He tells me.

“I’m here now.” I tell him turning to face him.

BRIAN

I pulled Justin to rest his head on my shoulder because he’s practically falling apart over kids, who like me, didn’t have a great life. I feel this burning in my chest, it’s like this fire that’s burning for this man who wants to bleed for the whole world. Out of all the stupid shit I’ve done, I thought getting drunkenly married was the top of the list. Now I’m starting to wonder if it’s one of my finest achievements. 

“What do you think of maybe going out of town for the weekend?” I ask because we need time to really get to know each other without so many people being there.

“Do you have a business meeting or something?” He asks me.

“No, I think it would be nice to know the man I could love.” I tell him.

MICHAEL

Ben showed up and wanted to know what happened that caused Hunter to take off again. Hunter doesn’t like something and he runs away is what it is, but of course Ma blames me and Ben probably will too.

“I was angry because I found out that my real father, who left us to rot, was there for the fucking doctor. Ma wanted to talk about what that shit convinced everyone was wrong with Hunter. So I ran my mouth and Hunter heard something I didn’t mean to say.” I tell him.

“What did you say?” Ben asks.

“It was just something that I didn’t mean to say.” I tell him, because I know he’s going to get pissed about this.

“WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY!” He yells.

“I fucking said that you were the only reason we adopted Hunter, because you wanted it and I wanted to make you happy. I didn’t know Hunter was behind me.” I tell him.

“Jesus, how could either of us think we were doing anything better than his mother?” Ben asks me, covering his face with his hands.

“We gave him a roof over his head and a way not to have to sell his ass on the streets. That’s more than the crack head did for him.” I tell him.

“Do you even want him?” Ben asks me.

“How can you ask me that. I signed fucking papers to adopt him.” I tell him.

“You didn’t answer me, do you want Hunter as our son?” He asks me.

“This is all Justin’s fault, everything was fine until he showed up.” I tell Ben.

“No, it isn’t, and all the pretending in the world isn’t going to change the fact that we didn’t take care of more than food and shelter for Hunter. Justin was right, we were both ignoring Hunter.” He tells me.

“That asshole isn’t right, he’s making people think and do things they wouldn’t have if he wasn’t around.” I tell him.

Brian would never have gotten married. He wouldn’t be ignoring me, and acting like he is. 

“So now Brian having a life without you in it, is a problem?” Ben asks. 

“What?” I ask.

“You just said that out loud.” He tells me getting up and slamming the front door.

Fuck!!

EMMETT

I looked down at Drew asleep and I’m so confused. I want us to be together, but not in the shadows. He keeps telling me that he would rather that I stay out of the whole press thing and I don’t really want to be a part of it. I get up and leave quietly because I need to think without Drew clouding the issue for me.

In the lobby, I see Warren sitting on the couches. He smiles and waves me over.

“How are things Emmett?” He asks me.

“I don’t know.” I tell him.

“You look like you could use a drink, why not let an old man buy?” He tells me.

“The last older gentleman that bought was George.” I tell him, taking his arm when he held it out.

“George was a good man, but he hid his life the way Drew did.” He tells me.

“I wish he was still around. He would have been someone who I could have talked to.” I tell him.

“Well, I’m not gay but I don’t mind listening.” He tells me smiling.

Sitting down, he ordered me a cosmo and him a whisky. I didn’t even ask how he knew.

“Emmett you need to understand that what is about to happen to Drew isn’t going to be sweet coming out interviews, and he’s worried about how you're going to deal with the stuff that will be dug up about your life and thrown out there to either make you a villain or worse.” He tells me.

“I come from nowhere in hicktown USA. My family is the kind you see in those videos, you know the ones where they find the biggest idiot around, one who says things like, ‘Yeah, I told my cousin’s wife’s sister’s daughter that we could ride out the tidal wave in our jon boat’.” I tell him, laughing when he looks confused.

“Well Emmett this isn’t a tidal wave but a tsunami, nothing will be safe when it hits him. You need to decide if he’s the person who you feel will keep you safe while it’s coming at you.” He tells me.

“Why aren’t you just telling me to walk away?” I ask him.

“For a selfish reason, Drew’s one of mine, it’s how I view anyone who I employ. If he can have someone at his side to see him through this, than I want that person to stay through it all.” He tells me.

“What makes you think I would be that person?” I ask.

“Because you’ve stuck by every person you cared for. I like that about you.” He tells me, toasting me.

“Please tell me you didn’t get a file on me?” I really wasn’t asking. I lifted my cosmo and toasted him. “I guess Drew is going to do a love story.” I tell him.

“I always did love those.” He tells me.