Surprise In Making

Brian was adapting to having Justin around once again. He had forgotten the difficult parts of sharing a living space with someone.

Brian left the small lamp downstairs on all the time so there would be some light if they needed to head to the kitchen in the middle of the night. Justin shut it off to save energy.

Brian kept the sugar on the left of the salt. Justin always used it and put it back wherever he found suitable. Brian ended up with salted coffee more times than he cared to admit.

Justin drank all but a few drops from the milk or juice cartons, leaving them in the fridge.

Justin kept the lid of the toilet down all the time, which it took Brian a few almost accidents to remember and make the effort to lift it, when it could stay up considering they were both men.

Crumbs on his sofa.

Justin's paint splattered clothes in a heap by the corner of the room.

Of course, there were also good sides to have him back.

The place was spotless. Justin loved to clean and make every available surface shiny, even though he wouldn't pick his clothes off the floor. Brian would never understand the way his boyfriend's brain worked.

Justin waited for him with a home cooked meal whenever his schedule allowed him to be home before Brian.

Justin wore Brian's clothes after he heard Brian's confession about how hot he thought he looked in them, and used it to his advantage when he wanted things. Cunning little thing that he was.

After a particular annoying day at work, Brian wanted to get home and relax. It wasn't the case.

When he stepped out of the elevator, he could hear the loud music. At least, it was Madonna, and not some classical shit that got him in the mood to sketch, as Justin had explained his choice of listening to classical music a while ago.

Brian let himself in the condo, doubting Justin could hear him over the loud music.

The kitten greeted him, purring and rubbing his head to Brian's ankles. He could tell the cat was aggravated by the music by the way his tail twitched.

A new song started as Brian made his way to the couch where he could see Justin's laptop sitting on his table.

Then he heard his voice from upstairs.

"I want to kiss you in Paris, I want to hold your hand in Rome, I want to run naked in a rainstorm, Make love in a train cross-country, You put this in me, So now what, so now what?"

There was a pause, before he continued with his breathy singing, imitating Madonna's voice.

"Wanting, needing, waiting, For you to justify my love, Hoping, praying, For you to justify my love."

Brian stood at the bottom of the stairs, fighting amusement. Justin descended, tying his bathrobe, still humming along with the song, having missed a few lyrics.

"I want to be your baby, Kiss me, that's right, kiss me. Brian!" He beamed, surprised to find him home.

"By all means, keep on singing," Brian joked.

"Don't you like Madonna?"

"I never said that. You're just funny."

"Thanks, I guess. You hungry?" Justin hooked his arms around Brian's neck, kissing him.

"You could say that. I didn't have time to eat. I had a pastry around three in the afternoon."

"It's eight now! You have to eat," Justin chided him, rushing into the kitchen.

Brian followed him, sitting on a bar stool, pouring himself some wine. "No work today?"

"I had to finish that painting for Susan. Then I got an e-mail from Michael with ideas for Rage. We're almost done with a brand new issue."

"And you still won't tell me what is happening."

"Nope." Justin smiled widely. "Here. I'm going to finish replying to him, then I'm all yours." He handed Brian a plate of pasta carbonara.

From: Justin Taylor
To: Michael Novotny
Date: May 17, 2006 20:26
Subject: RE: Rage

Hey,

Sorry for the delay. I kept getting distracted. Brian just got home, so I guess we'll talk more tomorrow. I don't want him to see our emails by mistake.

I will try asking if he can get some free time at the end of the week. I highly doubt it, though.

I'm all for your idea, but don't do anything until you have the green light from me. If he agrees to visit home, I hope he doesn't link the two events.

Anyway, I'll call you tomorrow morning with news. Good, hopefully. =)

Tell Ben I said hi.

Night.

JT

"I'm going to shower," Brian said from behind him.

Justin had hit send a moment before hearing Brian's voice. He hoped Brian hadn't read over his shoulder. He'd ruin the surprise.

"I'll be up in a minute."

"Turn the volume down," Brian added on his way upstairs. "Baby Purry doesn't like it."

"Are you seriously going to call him that?"

"He liked it yesterday."

"You were scratching his belly. I bet you could have called him anything at that point."

"Baby Purry," Brian called loudly. The next second, the kitten was at his feet, looking up at his human expectantly. "See?"

Justin snorted. "Whatever you say."

After washing the dishes and shutting down his computer, Justin headed upstairs.

He found the kitten in the middle of the bed, curled up and asleep.

"Seriously?" He tugged at the corner of the duvet. The cat didn't move. "Okay, have it your way." Justin pulled the duvet off the bed, making the cat dig his claws in the fabric, hissing.

"What are you doing?" Brian demanded, coming out of the bathroom in all his naked glory.

It took Justin a moment to form coherent sentences. "Making the bed."

"Couldn't you pick the cat off the bed first?" He scooped his pet off the floor, stroking behind his ears. "Jesus, Justin. I thought you liked animals."

"I do. It's he who doesn't like me."

"Oh, let's blame the poor little helpless soul." Brian rolled his eyes, getting in bed.

"He doesn't stay with us in bed," Justin demanded, taking his robe off, sliding under the blanket, next to Brian.

Brian let the cat down at the foot of the bed. "Stay there."

"How about you go in the corner where I put my dirty pants there for you?" Justin suggested, jerking his foot, making the cat dig his claws in the blanket so he wouldn't be thrown off.

"Nobody puts Baby Purry in the corner. Don't make me send you to the couch."

Justin flopped on his back, tugging a pillow over his face, laughing hysterically.

"What the fuck is so funny?" Brian demanded, pulling the pillow away.

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner," Justin gasped out. "I should have known. Why didn't I think of the hidden meaning behind the cat's name?"

"What the…" Brian trailed off, his eyes widening. "I haven't thought of Dirty Dancing, but now that you mentioned it… He could have a more manlier name...like Johnny."

"Baby Purry is cute," Justin said between giggles.

They settled on the bed. Justin turned to press his face into Brian's shoulder. "Nobody puts Baby Purry in a corner. You know you aren't going to live this down, right?"

"I thought you didn't even know that really old movie," Brian said, smirking as he quoted Justin's first impression of one of his favorite movies.

"I watched it a few days after you mentioned it. Stumbled upon it on TV. It was okay."

"Okay? Just okay? I'm not talking to you again." Brian rolled away from Justin.

Justin threw a leg over Brian's, spooning him. "How about we head home this weekend? I miss everyone."

Brian tensed. "This weekend? I have it booked with more overtime at work."

"You need to relax. You work too much. I know it's important and that I promised to not whine about you being at work all the time, but I'm looking out for your health. Two days away from work and New York… Please?" His peppered kisses on Brian's shoulder.

"Fine."

"Great! I miss Britin," Justin added into Brian's ear, still trying to mollify him.

In the morning, the cat's name had stayed and the funny part was that he answered to it. To solidify Justin's theory about the cat hating him, Baby Purry refused to eat when Justin fed him, but when Brian crouched to his side, shaking his bowl of food, he rushed there purring loudly.

"Play nice," Brian said amused, before leaving for work.

Justin planted his ass on the sofa, working on Rage, while the cat sat on the first stair, his blue eyes on his human's inconsiderate friend.

Later that morning, Justin called Michael to confirm their upcoming arrival home that weekend.

"That's wonderful news! I'll have Emmett bake a nice cake for Brian."

"Don't go overboard with anything. You still want to have the spare key to our house," Justin reminded him sternly.

"I'll tell Emmett to do ten percent of what he wants to do," Michael said, laughing.

"Sounds reasonable. Uh, listen. Brian's birthday aside. I can't figure out what's missing at this issue of Rage."

"A villain?" Michael supplied.

"I don't want to spoil their honeymoon."

"Maybe we could add something on the last page. To keep everyone interested and show them we haven't lost our touch."

"But it's so beautiful and romantic so far. Rage and JT finding that beautiful planet and being happier than ever."

Michael snorted. "Coming from the guy who made the bad guy eat his own dick?"

"Okay, I see your point. Maybe at the very end...which I'm getting closer to sketching...one of them could wander off to some unexplored part of the new planet…"

"I like it. And they find people...and something happens."

"You're the one with the plot, Mike. Something happens. You better think of something interesting, or this issue will see the light as it is now—ridiculously romantic and drama free."

"I'll let you know this weekend."

"Good. And tell Emmett and Debbie to please, please, please not go overboard."

"Will do. You bring the birthday boy."

"Sure thing."

Hanging up, Justin relaxed on the sofa, twisting around and throwing his feet on the length of the couch.

"FUCK!" He stared shocked at the cat trapped under his legs. "When the fuck did you get here?"

After clawing his way out from under his legs, Baby Purry hid under the small table by the front door purring loudly, in warning.

Justin threw his hands in the air. "Okay, we won't ever be friends. Suit yourself."