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BRIAN

 

I woke up spooning Justin, who was sleeping in front of me on the couch, and I looked around for Gus.

 

“I put him on my bed.” Justin tells me, yawning.

 

“And left us on the couch?” I ask him.

 

“I wanted him to be comfortable, it’s not like we haven’t fallen asleep here before.” He tells me, turning towards me.

 

He kissed my chin and lips and then rubbed his nose against mine before kissing my lips again. I pulled him closer so I could feel him. “What is it about you?” I ask him.

 

“I don’t know, but it must be both of us.” He tells me, kissing my neck.

 

“DADDY, I need help.” Gus yells.

 

“Later.” I tell him, kissing him before climbing over him as I go to see what Gus was doing.

 

Gus wanted to go to the diner to get breakfast, since it became something we did, when Mel and Lindsay stopped coming. We walked in the diner to see Ben and Michael sitting at the counter while Emmett and Ted were at a booth, ignoring them. 

 

“Brian, we have room.” Emmett tells me.

 

Michael turned and glared at Emmett. “Why don’t you and Gus sit with us. I haven’t spent any time with Guster lately.” Michael tells me.

 

“Daddy, can’t we sit with them, not him.” Gus asks, pulling Justin to the booth with Ted and Emmett.

 

“Well then let him sit with the children and you can come to the adult table.” Michael tells me, rolling his eyes when Gus sits on Justin’s lap.

 

“Brian where are you going, I need to tell you what Justin did.” Michael tells me, as I pass him to go sit with Gus and Justin.

 

I stopped, which Michael seemed to mistake for me wanting to hear what he wanted to say about Justin. It wasn’t Michael I needed to speak to, but the person who began Justin’s problems. I walked over and went around the counter to stand in front of Ben and Michael.

 

“I called last night and Justin thinks he can tell you what you can do.” Michael tells me.

 

“Michael, do me a favor and listen, you too Ben.” I tell them.

 

“Brian, he thinks he has the right to control who talks to you.” Michael persists.

 

“Are you both listening to me?” I ask them, leaning closer.

 

“Fine, we’re listening.” Michael tells me, annoyed.

 

“If Justin told me to forget you exist, I would, because I love him; more than any friendship or past acquaintance. I don’t have to use an innocent person to get Justin’s attention, and if you ever try to use Justin to keep your husband’s attention again, I’ll make sure the school knows what kind of teacher they have on their staff.” I tell Ben. “You want to know why you can’t get Michael’s attention? Because you spend all your time letting him get away with shit. I never did, or will in the future. Michael, you like to ostracize people, imagine what your world would be like if I served you the same treatment you gave to Blake, and are trying with Justin. Now I’m going to sit with the grown-ups while the two children at the counter think about what I just said.” I tell them, reaching for the milk and putting in front of both of them.

 

“Brian, what... I don’t understand. You're picking him over me?” Michael asks.

 

“I’m not picking anything, I’m making a decision on what’s important, friendship with a fourteen year old or a relationship with a man who wouldn’t treat other people like trash, because your life is that empty with Ben.” I tell him.

 

“He married me, Brian.” Ben tells me.

 

“Yeah, he did, but did you ever ask him why he finally said yes? It’s an interesting story, maybe he can twist it to sound less like he was hoping I would tell him that he and I had a future. Like I told Michael, I wouldn’t want anyone who would want you.” I tell him.

 

“Go to your piece of ass, maybe he’ll last longer than your last trick.” Ben tells me, and the fucker just said one thing too many.

 

JUSTIN

 

Brian was talking to Ben and Michael and whatever it was, they didn’t seem to like what he was saying to them. 

 

“Justin, go get him.” Ted tells me.

 

“Why are you telling me that?” I ask, because this is the first time he didn’t sneer my name.

 

“He’s very likely going to kick Ben and Michael’s asses.” He tells me.

 

“Jussin?” Gus asks, looking confused when Ben stood up and got in Brian’s face.

 

“Ted, watch Gus.” Emmett told him, getting up and blocking Ben.

 

“You don’t want to do this, Brian’s holding back.” Emmett growled, when Ben tried to push past him.

 

“Brian isn’t going to lecture me, he fucks half of Pittsburgh and thinks he knows shit about relationships.” Ben tells Emmett, trying to shove him out of the way.

 

“Crap. Ted, take Gus out of here.” I tell him, when I see Brian trying to get past Emmett.

 

“Are you really going to try to get in the middle of that?” Ted asks me.

 

“Why not, it’s about me.” I tell him, rushing over as Ted runs by with Gus.

 

“It’s all your fault.” Michael tells me, trying to swing at me.

 

“So it seems.” I tell him, knocking his ass to the ground.

 

Emmett shoved Ben back and Brian seemed like he was trying to find a way to get to Ben. I’m really starting to think the diner isn’t Gus friendly, but fuck it. I ran in front of Brian and held on while Emmett was in Ben’s face. Deb came out and sat on a stool, just watching.

 

“Honey, let them deal with it.” Deb tells me.

 

“You call this dealing with it?” I ask, as Brian shoves me behind him.

 

“Deal with the fact that Michael loves Brian in a way he won’t love you. It’s not Brian’s fault, when he did nothing to encourage Michael.” Emmett tells him.

 

“He fucking gives Michael just enough attention that Michael can’t see it’s just to keep him around.” Ben tells Emmett.

 

“He hasn’t done that since you and Michael have gotten together. He wanted his friend to have a chance at a relationship. Which is what Michael ran around telling everyone he wanted.” Emmett tells him.

 

“Why are you fucking talking Emmett, you don’t know shit.” Michael tells him. “Your idea of friendship is a joke.” Michael tells him.

 

“Brian, I’m going to put his ass in jail for hitting me. Ma call Carl.” Michael smirks.

 

“What are you talking about?” Deb asks him.

 

“He tried to hit me.” Michael tells her.

 

“Hey, attention everyone, did anyone see Justin trying to hit Michael?” Deb asks.

 

Ben and Michael looked confused as Deb looked around the diner. A guy raised his hand.

 

“Yes?” Deb asks.

 

“Does it really matter when Michael tried to hit Justin first?” The guy asks.

 

“I didn’t, I wanted to protect Ben when Justin looked like he was going to hit him.” Michael tells everyone.

 

“So, everyone’s agreed that if my son wants to call the police, that Justin should press charges?” Deb asks, and I tried not to laugh when the whole diner but Ben and Michael, nodded. “Carl wouldn’t be happy if Michael ended up in one of his cells.” Deb tells me.

 

“Ma?” Michael asks.

 

“Michael, you and Ben might need to find a new place to eat.” Deb tells him.

 

“I guess Brian’s got you under his thumb too.” Ben tells her.

 

“No more than Michael seems to have you dancing to his tune.” Emmett tells him, going to the booth and grabbing his scarf.

 

“Brian, we need to go.” I tell Brian, who seems to still want to beat Ben’s ass.

 

“I guess he’s got you by the dick.” Michael sneers at Brian.

 

“Brian, go take care of Gus.” Deb tells him.

 

“Bet no one on Liberty Avenue thought they’d see Brian Fucking Kinney brought down by blond boy ass.” Michael announces.

 

“It must hurt that your ass couldn’t manage it.” A guy yells.

 

“Why would anyone want the prostitute of Liberty Avenue?” Ben asks the guy.

 

“No Justin.” Brian tells me, picking me up when I turned.

 

“I was just wondering if Ben was jealous that everyone wants you, but that he has to fucking make up shit to get even Michael’s interest.” I said, as Brian takes me out the door.

 

“I can’t kick his ass, but you can?” Brian asks me.

 

“Heat of the moment.” I say.

 

“Daddy, are we going to the zoo now?” Gus asks, eating ice cream.

 

“Ted?” Brian asks.

 

“You really wanted me to try to explain that to Gus. Brian, what the hell, you have better control than that.” Ted tells him.

 

“I won’t have Ben saying shi… anything about Justin.” Brian tells him.

 

“How about we take Gus to the zoo, one which isn’t the diner.” Emmett tells us.

 

BRIAN

 

I walked around, trying not to show how pissed I was at the bullshit coming out of Ben’s mouth. Emmett let everyone go ahead of us and walked with me.

 

“He’s been doing steroids again.” Emmett tells me.

 

“It doesn’t matter.” I tell Emmett.

 

“I know, but it’s why he was practically foaming at the mouth.” Emmett tells me.

 

“How do you know?” I ask him.

 

“Saw him buying the other day. I mentioned it to Michael, but told me I was wrong.” He tells me.

 

“I can’t help Michael if I want Justin.” I tell Emmett.

 

“I didn’t tell you to get you to help Michael, just so you would know why I jumped in. I know you can take care of yourself, but Ben is a timebomb right now.” He tells me.

 

“I shouldn’t have been doing anything with Gus around.” I tell him.

 

“When you're in love you don’t always think when someone says things.” He tells me.

 

“Never thought it would be me in love.” I tell him.

 

“I always thought you’d eventually jump in the game.” Emmett tells me. 

 

“Until Justin, I didn’t see a reason.” I tell him.

 

“Does he know?” Emmett tells me.

 

“I don’t want to say it when everything is this new.” I tell Emmett.

 

“You should always say it, leaving things unsaid was like an opening for Michael to help us out of our relationships.” He tells me.

 

“Michael won’t have that chance to use it.” I tell Emmett.

 

I walk over to where Justin was holding Gus up to look over the wall. Standing behind him while he pointed out the animals resting on the rocks to Gus, I put my head on Justin’s.

 

“Daddy look.” Gus tells me.

 

“I’m looking.” I tell Gus, as Justin looks up to me. “And I love what I’m seeing.” I tell them, staring at Justin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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